Aberdeen Taps Markit to Value Hard-to-Price Assets

With increasing scrutiny on hard-to-price positions from auditors and regulators placing a significant burden on asset managers, Aberdeen Asset Management has selected Markit to help address this challenge through an independent valuation service.

Markit's valuation service provides valuations for seldom-traded assets, private placement debt and unlisted equity positions using proprietary methodologies, and is designed to satisfy the post-trade statutory and policy requirements of investors, regulators, and auditors for independent calculation of asset values.

"Markit's service enables us to value hard-to-price assets which are held in a number of our portfolios. Outsourcing this function brings independence and operational efficiencies to an area which requires specialist skills," says Carolyn Baker, global head of data management at Aberdeen Asset Management. "We are impressed with the quality of service Markit offers and are convinced that this helps us to deliver a best in class solution to our clients."